| answer text |
<p>Southern Access to Heathrow (SAtH) would provide extensive benefits to the areas
surrounding Heathrow and the South East of England, making getting to the airport
quicker, easier and greener for millions of travellers in the boroughs surround the
airport, across the south of England as well as creating regeneration opportunities
and making Britain a more attractive place to invest and connect UK exporters to new
international markets.</p><p> </p><p>While a fast pace on SAtH is important, the scheme
is very much in its infancy, and there is as yet much to be developed. It is crucial
to the success of the project that time is taken in this early stage to ensure that
the initial outcome based specification and commercial model on which the scheme will
developed, are appropriate and the right solution to ensure value for money to the
fare payer, the scheme proposer and the tax payer.</p><p> </p><p>My Department continues
to work closely with the market, including scheme promoters, operators and capital
investors, along with the wider private sector and following Ministerial approval
and alignment to the HM Treasury Infrastructure Finance Review; my Department intends
to provide further guidance to the market regarding the commercial approach for SAtH
early in 2021.</p><p> </p><p>We also are continuing to work alongside Network Rail
and Heathrow Airport Limited, to integrate with Western Rail Link to Heathrow, while
ensuring alignment with other major infrastructure projects, to guarantee the most
efficient design and delivery of SAtH.</p><p> </p>
|
|
